Improvement in opera-chairs



LCHASE & G. M. BALL.

Opera-Chair.

Patented Oct. 19, 1875.

v wnuessas:

N-PETERS; PHOTQLITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATEs PATENT QFFICE,

IRAH oHAsE, OF NEW YORK, AND GEORGE M. BALL, O F GREEN POINT, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN OPERA-CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,874., dated October 19, 1875; application filed August 14, 1875.

To all whom it may concern 'Be it known that we, IRAH CHASE, of the city, county, and State of New York, and GEORGE M. BALL, of Green Point, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Opera-Chairs, of which the following is a specification:

The figure is a vertical section of one of our improved chairs.

The object of this invention is to furnish opera-ch airs for theaters, halls, and other pub lic buildings, which shall be compact, maybe folded into small space, and will prevent ladies dresses from becoming entangled with them.

The invention consists in the combination of the cast-iron seat-frame, rabbeted upon its inner 'edge to receive the cushion, the rods pivoted to the forward corners of said seatframe, and the tubes pivoted to the lower parts of the side frames with each other and with the said side frames.

A A are the side frames of the chair, to which is attached the back -frame B. The frame 0 of the seat is cast with a rabbet upon its inner edge to receive the cushion or upholstered seat D. Upon the sides of the seatframe 0 are formed pivots c, which work in holes in the side frames A, so that the seat may be turned up toward the back for convenience in passing. To the forward corners of the seat-frame G are pivoted the upper ends of two rods or braces, E, which pass down into side frames A A.

It is important that the pivot-bearings c be located as far from the back B, or as near the middle of the seat, as practicable, so that the weight the seat is required to support may be sustained mainly by them, to the end that the telescopic braces may be made as small and light as possible, and the seat thus adapt-ed to be operated easily.

It is evident that if the braces were straight instead of curved at their lower ends (but still pivoted to the frames A at the point shown) the seat would not be self-supporting when turned up, since the braces would not in such case allow it to assume an inclined positionthat is to say, a position parallel to a line drawn through the pivoted points of the seat and braces. As it is, however. in place of the curved braces preventing this result they directly aid in producing it. Another advantage of carrying the pivoted pointsof the braces to the rear is avoidance of contact with ladies dresses or otherwise obstructing the passage between the rows of seats. Rubber blocks G are inserted in the tubes F to cushion the rolls E when the seat is lowered.

We are aware that it is not a new idea to support the front of a hinged seat upon telescopic legs, and we therefore make no claim to such invention; but,

Having fully described our invention, what we do claim is- In combination with the seat B, pivoted at c, the telescopic braces having their lower ends curved backward and pivoted to the lower part of the frames A A and to the front of the seat, as shownand described, for the purpose specified.

IRAH CHASE. GEORGE M. BALL.

Witnesses:

JAMEs T. GRAHAM, T. B. MosHER. 

